GAME I

After a long minute of conversation, the door opened and the two men spat out of the guest room but the hot air of hostility never left them. The ladies waiting for them on the couch were slightly frowning, curious at what they are talking about. They can feel the tension heat up that didn't even subside. Sumire was playing on her fingers, worried sick of Mort. From the looks of her father she knew right away, he dislike the man.

The men sauntered the place oozing power and authority. Chaise walked towards his wife, Lunaire while Mort standing taller was tailing him behind. Sumire was about to approach the hunk but stop when Chaise eyed her with a warning, indirectly saying something worst will happen if she go near Mort. The maiden felt her throat dry up, feet nails to the cold floor as the heavy tension between the two men intensified.

"Let's eat first-"

Eiryss who had just come out from the kitchen carrying a tray of juice and cookies was stunned to see them gathered in the living room, eyes widened. The manager gulped hard. She didn't expect to see the maiden's parents. Sumire's manager tightened her grip quivering on the tray in nervousness as the people stared at her at the same time in their serious demeanor.

"Am I inside of the fantasy book of Gods and Goddesses?"

Eiryss kiddingly said to conceal her nervousness and laugh awkwardly. Lunaire came to her help to lighten up the mood of the place as the heavy tension tremendously overwhelmed between the two men in the room.

"You're making me blush, Manager. But, thank you." Lunaire laughingly said, took the tray of snacks from Eiryss, and placed it on the table.

"Eat." Sweetly smiling from ear to ear, Lunaire took her husband by the hand and made him sit on the opposite side of the chair next to her but Chaise quickly sat next to Sumire's chair where Mort was going to sit making the maiden slightly surprised. He preceded the hunk.

"Seriously, are you a kid?" Lunaire asked as Chaise remain unmoved. Mort strides and was to sit on the other side next to the maiden. Chaise was about to shoo him away when Lunaire raised an eyebrow and glared at him.

"Don't you love me anymore, honey? So you don't want to be by my side anymore?" Lunaire said, arms crossed on her chest, sulking. Chaise quickly stood up, leaving his daughter like a flash of lightning and went to his wife's place. He hugged her tightly.

"Sweety, don't say that. It didn't even cross my mind. I love no woman but you. Don't doubt it, my love. You are the only one for me. And I am the only one for you." Chaise gently said, kissing his wife's forehead and nose making Lunaire's lip slowly curve up.

"You promise?" Lunaire pouted adorably.

"I promised," Chaise said and pulled his wife with a tender kiss, making Eiryss look away, blushing at what she saw and Sumire's jaw greatly dropped. The couple was in their own world again.

"Oh, God. You two, go get a room." Throw them a blank stare, Sumire feeling nauseated wanted to vomit watching her parents flirting with each other like a teenager in front of them. The couple ignores them and continued their long-lasting kiss. Her face was blushing red with extreme embarrassment, seeing her lovey-dovey parents acting like that. Her fear and nervousness subsided at the sight. 'They really are a pain in the eyes,'

"Please make me blind for a second." She silently prayed in her seat. Mort then covers her eyes with his big palm.

"Your palm is big," she complimented, it fits her whole face. Mort's hand could literally crush someone's face with his bare hand. He leaned towards her and whispered to her lips in a husky tone.

"Do you know what else is big?" Mort teasingly asked. "If you envy them, then let's go to your room," Mort said in a low and gruff tone. He smiled meaningfully making Sumire's face as red as a tomato.

"Aherm..." Eiryss faked a cough and got everyone's attention. The couple went back to sitting. "I just wanna report something about the issue. There's a bigger problem." The manager then looks at the maiden. Sumire was struck with waves of negative feelings, that surged through her veins again. She peeks at the hole in his palm and later puts it down on her legs.

"I already hired a lot of skilled hackers, any kind of hackers to eradicate all the issues surfaced that have now grown on a large scale but someone blocked them. They can't fucking do anything about it. I did everything while I was in the kitchen, I called every one, anyone I know but they miserably failed."

Eiryss added who fall on her knee as she is now losing hope. She felt like the most useless manager who had ever been alive and she felt worthless being the manager of the maiden.

"I can help," said Mort with a serious and cold expression but Chaise quickly disagreed with him.

"You're just an outsider. Don't get involved in the family's problem." Chaise firmly said making the maiden sigh deeply.

"Dad, Mort is no outsider. He will be my husband." Sumire declared in a formal and final tone as Eiryss's hung open, looked up at them with eyes widened, Lunaire jumps merrily, shrilling in gaiety while Chaise's face flustered red in anger.

"Oh my goodness! Am hearing it right? Finally..." Lunaire squealed joyously again.

"Without our blessings?! No fucking way!" Nostrils flaring, Chaise objected and quickly stood up. "I don't want him." He added and furiously pointed at Mort.

"Dad, I will be the one to marry Mort and not you. Whether you like him or not, you can't do anything about it." Sumire stubbornly said and meet her father's eyes glazed, burning in anger.

"You are blabbering nonsense. You know nothing about him." Chaise said in a dangerous tone that Lunaire stood up, and quickly hold her husband's forearm to calm him down.

Sumire held Mort's hand, fingers entwined, and clasped them together. "I already met his parents and his grandfather. We had a nice dinner together-"

"You gotta be kidding." Chaise angrily interrupted her. He found it hard to believe what he was hearing from his daughter. 'Fate does plays unfairly, huh.'

"That's impossible!" Chaise hissed and dramatically brush his hair messily. Gritted teeth, he can do nothing but clenched his hand while eyeing the hunk loathful. If looks could kill, Mort would have now lying dead. His eyes throw a thousand daggers at the handsome man who seated next to Sumire looks completely hot and unconcerned.

"That's not important now. The first thing we need to do is how to clear our daughter's name. Okay?" Lunaire butts in and cups her husband's face to calm him down. She doesn't understand why Chaise reacted this way.

"I'll call someone who can help," Mort said and took the phone out of his pocket. He dialed Narco's number but unfortunately, the young man was out of reach so was Lyric's phone number. Except for Leroy, who answered his call within a second. It was as if the other twin was waiting and expecting his call.

"What can I do for you, Sir?" A cheerful tone greeted him who seems to be so excited. Mort slightly frowned.

"Come here ASAP and bring everything you need to get rid of Sumire's issue. I'll email you the location." Mort commanded and hung up making Leroy jumped in joy on the other side.

"Yes! As expected. I can earn lots and lots of money again." Leroy said, whistling in the air and grinning widely that it reaches his eyes which sparkled with coins. He then go prepared, took his laptop from the table and other things, and went to Sumire's home.

After a minute, he arrived at the place. The sight of the crowd of reporters and journalists overwhelmed him scattered outside the majestic silver gate. Some of them were camping out of the black cars barricaded the ingress of the villa and daringly captured photos.

"What a crowd!" Leroy uttered and drives in. He lowered the car's window and remove his sunglass. Mort's horde of black men in the place recognizes him right away. One of them reported through the earpiece and the gate opened. He was able to get inside smoothly.

"Easy-peasy!" Leroy blurted while driving inside the place. He was humming along the music, head rocking. He was greeted by Sam who just came out of the control room. The bodyguard escorted him to the villa.

.................

Eyes filled with anger, a look of great bitterness swept across Dieu's face as he drive his way to the MDA building to wait for what Yakov should have to do but the midnight strikes he doesn't receive any information of good news. His so-called ally wasn't able to reach him. He can't help but had a doubt.

"Don't tell me that Mort found out about the plan and he killed Yakov? No, that's impossible. He can't be that perfect." Dieu whispered horn-mad alone inside his car. He dialed Yakov's number several times but his call always ended up beeping.

"Damn it!" He seethed, balled his fist, and strike the steering wheel. His pulse sped up and he was breathing very shallow. Dieu can barely control his anger.

While Dieu was flaming furious about his failed plans, Yelena was inside the MDA building. Right in Mort's office. She stares down at Dieu's car who was stopped by the guards as he was banned from entering the building. The woman in his black outfit was grinning evilly.

"Lady Yelena, there is no trace of five deeds of sales in here." One of her men reported while head bowed. Yelena sipped on the wine she gets from the wine rack of Mort's office, she wasn't surprised at all.

"We've searched the entire building but we couldn't find anything. We terribly sorry." The man added. Yelena smirked widely.

"It's not surprising anymore. Well, there's nothing to lose if we try." She said and stir the glass of wine in a circular motion before sipping into it.

"As an exchange for our failed search in here let's play a little fun game. Tell all the Lords of the underground, the five deeds of sales are in Dieu's possession." Yelena commanded. Her eyes glinted with malice and broke into a maniacal laugh echoing the entire room.

.............

"Don't touch it," Mort said when Sumire unconsciously dropped the glass she was holding and was about to pick up the small piece of broken crystal on the floor.

"Eiryss," Mort called the manager who obeyed and immediately got a broom and dustpan to sweep up the debris. The maiden suddenly felt nervous and her face was pale, as if one foot were in the grave already. Her fair skin turns ghostly white complexion.

Mort holds her cold hands. His fingertip slowly and gently rose up, caressing her cheek. Her dark hair framed the snowy complexion of her face, as her crimson lips and cool they were very cold and still shaking.

"You don't look fine. Tell me what you feel." Mort asked and his thumb gently rub her lower lip. Chaise was about to approach their daughter but Lunaire stopped him. She doesn't want to ruin the beautiful sight in front of them.

"I don't know. I suddenly got nervous for no apparent reason." Sumire said restlessly, eyebrows slightly furrowed and a glint of worries flashed in her eyes. She holds his hand and rubs her face, feeling the warmth in his palm.

"No matter what happens, I'm here. You'll always have me. I'll do everything in my power to clear your name. So don't think too much about it." Mort slowly leans in and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Sumire look directly into his eyes and smiled bedazzlingly revealing her dimples. She rested her cheek on his chest.

Blood boils through his veins and his eyes squinted, Chaise was about to take his daughter away from Mort's embrace when Lunaire glared at him and Leroy suddenly came in uninvitedly with a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Let's start the game."